On November 22, 2025, VanEck CEO Jan van Eck raised alarms about quantum computing potentially breaching Bitcoin’s encryption, stating his firm could “walk away” if the asset’s core thesis weakens, per. In a CNBC interview, van Eck highlighted community concerns over elliptic curve cryptography, which quantum algorithms like Shor’s could crack, exposing wallets and transactions. He noted, “The Bitcoin community is focusing on two core issues: crypto security and privacy, especially in the face of potential threats from quantum computing,” per. Experts like Adam Back estimate meaningful threats are 2–4 decades away, but the debate is intensifying, per. BTC traded at $86,204, up 2.4% daily but down 7.7% YTD and 31.6% from its $126,080 ATH.
Van Eck pointed to Bitcoin’s transparent ledger clashing with rising privacy demands, pushing “Bitcoin OGs” toward Zcash (ZEC), which uses zero-knowledge proofs for confidential transactions. Zcash surged over 1,300% in three months amid this demand, per. Van Eck argued, “Everyone can see the money movements within Bitcoin’s blockchain,” reigniting Zcash discussions, per. Zcash offers stronger privacy than BTC’s model, appealing to users seeking confidentiality. X posts from @caprioleio amplified van Eck’s warning, urging quantum-proofing by 2026.
Van Eck attributes the bear market to the halving cycle (bearish for 2026), quantum risks, and Zcash’s privacy edge, recommending dollar-cost averaging into bears. BTC’s four-year cycle shows limited gains this round, creating expectations of a milder downturn, per. VanEck’s spot BTC ETF HODL has $1.2B in inflows since 2024, but the CEO’s stance signals institutional caution, per. Analysts like Charles Edwards note VanEck’s defined risk threshold for BTC exposure. BTC support at $80,000 and resistance at $90,000 are key, per TradingView.
Quantum risks could erode investor confidence by 2030, but developers have time for upgrades like post-quantum cryptography, per. IBM-Cisco’s quantum internet project and the PQC sector’s $2.84B projection by 2030 highlight proactive measures, per. Van Eck’s comments, echoed by Scott Aaronson, predict Shor’s algorithm by the 2028 U.S. elections, per. BTC could hit $150,000 by 2026 if resilient, per Techopedia, but privacy upgrades may boost ZEC to $100, per. Investors should monitor quantum research on arxiv.org and diversify into ZEC or ETH ($4,070), with BTC stop-losses at $80,000, per. Follow @TheBlock__ on X for updates. Van Eck’s ultimatum underscores the need for evolution.
